Alpha Ethan

Book 1: Alpha Ethan

SCARLET

I gaze across the remnants of the city that was once St. Louis. Now, it’s only blackened remains of what used to be, with a new city sprouting up in its center.

Crumbling buildings scatter across the horizon as vines and trees invade the abandoned structures.

The Arch stands tall, lit by the blue and yellow lights of Crescent City, but a giant chunk is missing from its top left side.

I wish I had the chance to ride to the top before it was destroyed. In reality, there is a lot of the city I would have liked to see before it was destroyed twenty years ago by the Great War of Supernaturals. I was only three when it happened.

I’m sitting in my favorite spot to go when I want to get away and find some peace—perched on the rooftop of an old building.

It gives me the perfect view of what used to be downtown. Remains still litter the landscape, now interrupted by modern skyscrapers built after the war.

The most prominent building is centered among all the others and is several stories taller than the rest. It’s owned by the most feared alpha in the land, Ethan Kane, leader of the Crescent Moon Pack.

Alpha Kane rules the city with an iron fist, aided by his two brothers, his beta, and about fifty lieutenants. His father before him, Seth Kane, is the alpha that won the city during the war.

He was said to be merciless, killing anyone that got in his way on his path to power. He passed his legacy onto his children. Anyone who defies the family ends up dead. It’s just a matter of time.

“I want to go for a run,” my inner wolf begs as I take in a breath of fresh air.

The sun is beginning to set, and the sky is changing to a light blue and indigo.

“We can’t. We need to go help serve dinner,” I respond to her sadly. A run would be nice. It’s been so long since I’ve let my wolf out.

“After dinner then?”

I smile at her insistence. “We’ll see.”

I push myself up and leap over the roofs of a couple of buildings before landing on another one. I open the roof door and hurry down to the first level, straight into the industrial kitchen.

“Where have you been this time, Lettie?” Jo asks as I hurry to put on one of the long white aprons.

“Oh, you know… the usual places…,” I answer with a mischievous smile, causing her to roll her eyes at me.

Although my name is Scarlet, Jo insists on using the nickname she gave me. In her sixties and tough as nails, Jo is the closest thing I have to family.

She found me wandering around the Scourge, scavenging for food scraps after the war. The Scourge is what everyone calls the area that used to be East St. Louis. It’s where all the packless wolves live.

It’s hard to find a pack once you have lost yours, which is why I’m still part of the packless.

Not only did I lose my pack, but I had just lost my parents when Jo found me. They died in a rogue attack shortly after arriving in the Scourge.

“Well, you’re late, missy. Hurry up and get these here rolls out there before we have a pack of hungry wolves on our hands,” she remarks as she gestures at a couple of baskets of bread sitting on the counter.

I nod to her with a smile, and as soon as the apron is tied on, I pick up a couple of baskets of rolls and head out. We have created our own little community. It’s not much, but it’s home.

When I reach the dining hall, the air is filled with noise and chatter as hundreds of werewolves talk and joke with each other. I take the bread to the row of tables where food will be served and set them down before taking my place by one of the large pots filled with soup.

The waiting line starts moving, and I begin ladling out everyone’s dinner.

“How are you doing today, Scarlet?” Mr. Meyer asks with a smile as he holds out his empty bowl to me.

“Doing pretty good. How about yourself?”

“Still breathing, so I can’t complain!” We chuckle before he moves along down the line.

“What kind of soup is it today?” a little girl named Annie asks.

“Vegetable beef. Do you want some?” I answer with a grin.

Annie always questions what kind we are serving even though it never seems to matter. She never turns it down. She gives me a quick nod and continues on her way as soon as she’s served.

It continues like this as hundreds of packless werewolves go through the line getting soup and bread for their dinner.

Although we don’t have an alpha and luna to lead us, some of us have more influential roles in the community that help to make decisions and coordinate when there is a threat.

I kind of stumbled into my role. I’d always been one to be involved and help out, and one day I took the lead during a rogue attack. I seemed to be able to make others listen, and since then I’d been called in to the group when major decisions have to be made.

It gives me great joy to serve them and to know I play a hand in keeping them safe. Plus, I’ve been working at the shelter since I was old enough to hold a ladle.

Jo is the one that runs the place. It’s hard to find jobs since most of the wolves that live in and around the city treat us like we’re the plague.

However, Jo was lucky enough to find a werewolf family that lives far enough on the outskirts of town that they hired her to help work their farmland. The farm is quite successful these days, and there is always plenty of food. Fortunately, it is more than the family needs.

Jo uses the money and extra food to help feed and take care of all the packless wolves that live in the Scourge. We do our best to provide two meals a day, shelter, and blankets.

Once everyone has been served, I sit to eat a small portion of my own. Out of the corner of my eye, I see someone approaching.

The person puts their arm around my shoulder, and I quickly realize it’s my best friend, Will.

“Hey, babe! Did you save any for me?”

I roll my eyes and smirk at him as I push the extra bowl over.

“How is it that you’re never on time?” I ask him with a laugh as he takes in a mouthful of bread before scooping some soup onto his spoon.

“Come on, Scar. I’m a very busy guy.”

“Uh—huh. Sure. Doing what?”

“Oh, you know… sleeping, scavenging, and I even got you something,” he says as a smile lights up his face, his hazel eyes shining with excitement.

“Really?” I ask him, unable to hide the surprise from my voice.

“Yep! Here, look!”

He extends his fist out to me as though he’s holding something small. I put my hand out for him, and he drops it into my palm. It’s a beautiful necklace with a delicate white-gold chain, a round diamond hanging from it.

“Oh my Goddess! Will! It’s gorgeous! Where did you find this? Please say you didn’t steal it,” I exclaim before giving him a pointed look, cupping the necklace to my chest.

He lets out a hearty laugh. “Of course I didn’t steal it. I found it in an abandoned apartment. Do you like it?”

“You kidding? I love it!” I wrap my arms around him and give him a tight hug, making him chuckle once more.

“Good. I’m glad.”

I sit and chat with Will as he finishes eating before we part ways, and I head outside.

“Run?” my wolf inquires excitedly, causing me to smile.

“Run,” I confirm.

I quickly sprint down the alley and transform mid-leap, my paws hitting the gravel before I rush toward a thick patch of woods. But as I reach the tree line, I hear a mix of screams and growls coming from deep inside the Scourge.